Eggelletion's Partner In Corruption Case Pleads Guilty

The bagman in a $900,000 money-laundering conspiracy with former Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion pleaded guilty to his role in the case Friday in federal court in Fort Lauderdale.

Ronald Owens, 62, of Hallandale Beach, faces a maximum of five years in federal prison when sentenced April 2 but also could serve no prison time. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money.

Owens, Eggelletion and two others alleged to be co-conspirators were arrested in September on charges they worked together to launder money that "asset managers" told them they were trying to hide. The money, they were told, came from a fraudulent investment scheme in Europe.

In fact, the people they were working with were undercover FBI agents.

Federal prosecutors have recommended that whatever sentence Owens receives should be reduced because he immediately agreed to cooperate when undercover federal agents revealed to him that he was under investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Karadbil told U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas that Owens provided significant assistance in the investigation of Eggelletion, a longtime friend.

Owens declined to comment as he left the hearing. His attorney, Mark Panunzio, said in an interview that Owens, who ran chicken restaurant franchises in South Florida, got involved with the conspiracy because his business had fallen on tough times.

"His moral GPS, for lack of a better term, was not functioning," Panunzio said. "Due to his financial situation, he did things he would not normally do."

Panunzio said federal investigators needed Owens to confirm what they had learned and to make sure there was no other illegal activity going on.

Owens funneled Eggelletion's share of the money to him by slipping it into his golf bag after a game and holding on to it to try to conceal the trail of cash to Eggelletion.

Owens and Eggelletion each received about $23,000 for helping hide money by funneling it to accounts, first in the Bahamas and then in St. Croix, Karadbil said.

Eggelletion pleaded guilty last month and faces a maximum of five years when sentenced next month.

Karadbil said former Miramar City Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman introduced the undercover agents to Eggelletion. Salesman has pleaded not guilty to public corruption charges in a related undercover sting and is scheduled to go to trial later this year.

Two other men, Joel "Jodi" Williams, 54, of North Miami, and attorney Sidney Cambridge, 45, of Nassau, Bahamas, have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and five counts of money laundering in the case. They are scheduled to go on trial in March.

Paula McMahon can be reached at pmcmahon@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4533.